Emerging Media Pioneers Lead New Venture
SAN FRANCISCO – 5to1 (www.5to1.com) unveiled its innovative advertising platform at TechCrunch50 in San Francisco. Attendees got a first-hand look at the only self-service ad publishing platform that empowers content owners to program relevant ad placements to the appropriate context, at the appropriate time and for the right audience.
Founded by a team with multiple entrepreneurial successes and who were instrumental in leading Fox Interactive Media to its pinnacle, founders James Heckman, Ross Levinsohn, Michael Barrett, Dale Strang and Mark Stieglitz have built a platform that restores value to unsold inventory for media companies by empowering publishers to participate in the placement, price integrity, and contextual targeting of advertisements, without increasing operating expenses.
“90% of unsold ad inventory is outsourced to remnant networks,” said James Heckman, co-founder and chief executive officer, 5to1. “That’s an incredible amount of premium content being forfeited as remnant. Our platform helps partners to reclaim this inventory and convert into a premium experience for brands.”
Committed to protecting brands for both content owners and advertisers so they can achieve maximum value and branding for their clients, 5to1 makes it impossible for undesirable marketers to invade the experience, since no ad runs without publisher participation. This system results in more valuable inventory, a better user experience and brand integrity for publishers.
“Publishers committed to ensuring high quality advertising experiences for their users and brand partners should consider looking at 5to1, JoAnne Bradford, senior vice president, North America Revenue and Market Development, Yahoo!. “Given how 5to1 allows the publisher to program ad selection, they’ve made it impossible for a disruptive ad to show up unless publishers choose to place the ad themselves.”
5to1’s innovative platform is simple-to-use and is the first premium ad distribution platform that delivers scalability and cost-efficiency of networks with the control of premium buys. Utilizing its own proprietary technology, 5to1 combines real-time publisher and advertiser feedback with a smart, straightforward user interface to make ad selection and placement efficient and effective. Additionally, 5to1 publicly tracks the 5to1 community’s choices for ads that are the most viewed, best click-through, highest rated, and other crucial details.
“The curation of advertising by publishers feels like a good idea. Publishers and advertisers are aligned in protecting our brands, and so introducing them into the process benefits the entire industry,” said Kal Patel, head of digital strategy, Best Buy.
At launch, the company has the ability to reach in excess of 100 million uniques, comprised of large and medium media companies. 5to1 publishers already have access to over 1,000 advertisers and 100,000 individual ads.
Founder Heckman brings more than two decades of CEO operating experience, including the successful launch of seven successful start-ups. Prior to his tenure at Fox Interactive Media, where he served as chief strategy officer, he built three network brands that reach millions of viewers today (Rivals.com – sold to Yahoo, Scout.com – sold to Fox, and Rivals.net – sold to 365Sports in the UK).
5to1 has assembled a seasoned team with a combined 150 years experience as senior digital executives including companies such as News Corp., Yahoo!, Fox Interactive Media, Microsoft, MySpace, IGN and Oracle,
About 5to1.com
5to1 is the only self-serve ad publishing platform that empowers advertisers and content owners to work as partners toward the common goal of ensuring relevant ad placement in the appropriate context, at the appropriate time, to the appropriate audience. By tapping the intelligence of publishers, 5to1converts unsold inventory into programmable, sponsorable, premium inventory. The 5to1 platform restores balance to the marketplace by returning placement and price decision-making to their rightful owners without increasing operating expenses. 5to1 launched in 2009 and is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in Los Angeles, New York and Seattle.
